START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-VI):

S E C R E T GENEVA 000959

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2019
TAGS: KACT MARR PARM PREL RS US START
SUBJECT: START FOLLOW-ON NEGOTIATIONS, GENEVA (SFO-GVA-VI):
(U) HEADS OF DELEGATION ONE-ON-ONE MEETING, OCTOBER 26, 2009

Classified By: A/S Rose E. Gottemoeller, United States
START Negotiator. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (U) This is SFO-GVA-VI-029.


2. (U) Meeting Date: October 26, 2009
Time: 4:00 - 5:30 P.M.
Place: Russian Mission, Geneva
Participants:

U.S. RUSSIA

A/S Gottemoeller Amb Antonov
Ms. Purcell

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SUMMARY
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3. (S) On October 26, 2009, Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller
met with Ambassador Antonov at the Russian Mission.
Discussion focused on the work schedule for the week,
particularly how to fit in all the necessary meetings given
the addition of the upcoming visit to Moscow by the U.S.
National Security Advisor (NSA) for meetings which Antonov
and Gottemoeller both were attending. The allocation of
responsibilities among the working groups was also discussed.


4. (U) SUBJECT SUMMARY: Impact of NSA Visit on Geneva
Negotiations; and, Responsibilities of Treaty Text Working
Group.

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IMPACT OF NSA VISIT
ON GENEVA NEGOTIATIONS
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5. (S) Antonov confirmed that he would travel back to Moscow
for the visit of National Security Advisor Gen Jones on
October 28-29, would return to Geneva on October 30, and then
would leave Geneva on November 1 for Moscow. Gottemoeller
relayed that Jones would provide new U.S. proposals for the
START Follow-on Treaty during a working dinner at Spaso House
on October 28. The U.S. Delegation in Geneva would be
willing to brief the same material to the Russian Delegation
at a meeting the morning of October 29. Antonov expressed
relief and appreciation, saying that would spare him the need
to transmit the new proposals from Moscow. He asked that the
October 29 meeting be a plenary, since the entire Russian
Delegation would want the opportunity to hear a description
of the new U.S. proposals. Gottemoeller said she would check
with her delegation and get back to him.


6. (S) Antonov warned that the Russian Delegation would need
time to analyze and discuss the new U.S. proposals. It was
required to forward its recommendations to the Moscow
leadership--Foreign Minister Lavrov, National Security
Council Secretary Patrushev, and Presidential Foreign Policy
Advisor Prikhodko--to help them know whether the as yet
unknown U.S. proposals would meet Russian interests. Russian
President Medvedev himself would decide how to respond to the
U.S. proposals during the week of November 2-6, on the basis
of an important meeting on Saturday, October 31, for which
Antonov and his delegation would have to provide the staff

work. For that reason, Antonov said, he was not sure that
the Russian Delegation would be able to meet in working group
format on October 29 and 30.


7. (S) Gottemoeller told Antonov that she believed the new
proposals, still being decided in Washington, were moving in
a direction Russia would consider positive. Jones' visit was
intended to boost the momentum of the negotiations, not to
disrupt or supersede the negotiating work in Geneva. She
urged the Russian Delegation not to let their staffing
requirements for Moscow keep them from making use of their
limited time in Geneva to meet with the U.S. Delegation in
the working groups. She also reminded Antonov that the U.S.
Delegation would continue working in Geneva the first week of
November.


8. (S) Antonov commented freely on the timing difficulties
that were being created, in his opinion, by the Jones' visit
to Moscow. After some discussion, it was agreed that the
working groups would meet through Wednesday as the United
States had proposed, and further scheduling for the week
would be decided on Tuesday. Antonov undertook to consult
with his delegation on Monday night in order to be able to
complete this scheduling process. (Begin comment: The
working groups did continue to meet throughout the week, to
Friday, October 30. End comment.)

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF
TREATY TEXT WORKING GROUP
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9. (S) Gottemoeller next raised the work program for the
Treaty Text Working Group (TTWG),urging Antonov to permit
his military experts to work together with the TTWG chairs to
complete the treaty articles. Antonov argued, as he had for
some weeks, that the treaty articles ought to be negotiated
in the appropriate working groups and then be brought to the
TTWG for final editing and conforming. Gottemoeller
reemphasized that the TTWG was the locus for ensuring that
all of the provisions of the treaty and accompanying
documents were consistent and, therefore ,it made sense for
that group to work with the chairmen of the other working
groups from the outset, as each article of the treaty came
up. Antonov agreed to try this way of working, and he and
Gottemoeller agreed that the next TTWG meeting, to be held on
Tuesday, October 27, would tackle Article VIII (concerning
notifications). Mr. Siemon and Col Ryzhkov would join the
meeting to work with Ambassador Ries and Mr. Koshelev.


10. (U) Documents exchanged. None.


11. (U) Ries sends.
GRIFFITHS